It may just be a preliminary-round game, but it's still the United States against Russia in men's hockey at the Olympics.

The latest U.S.-Russia showdown is definitely the highlight of Saturday's Olympic action. Even though both teams will still be very much in the medal hunt after today's game, that certainly won't detract from the drama this morning. Sochi's sparkling new hockey arena was built with just such a moment in mind, and Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to attend the game.

The game started at 7:30 am Eastern time Saturday morning, and can be seen on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN).